Final Illusions
by Tenshiki
Summary: Zidane has fallen into another dimention where Gods walk amung people, legends are real, and everything you see, isn't really there.


Okay, you know as well as I do, I don't own Final Fantasy IX. A few charactors are mine, and only mine. *hugs her charactors to death* MINE! Okay..hehehe...yes, I'm still a bit crazy. About my other fics, they kind of went bye bye...they were deleted or something...^^; Anyway, yes, I have grown up. I'll repost some more of my humor fics. And I know, I promised I'd write a lot, but things got in the way. Like a certain someone decided to make me do art requests! So no more requests for drawings all you people that know me! My hand can't put up with it!! THE STRESS!!! THE WORK!! THE STREEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! a-HEM. Don't mind me. Last but not least...I know I have bad spelling and I need grammer lessons. I'll fix this problem in time.   
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This Chapter is rated PG only because of attempted scuicide. This fic is rated PG-13   
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This is the first chapter as you can see.   
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She looked up at the grey overcast sky, silently. A sudden gust of wind blew across the city.   
How long had it been scince she last saw the outside world? Too long most likely. Ever scince   
the new war broke out four years ago, she wasn't allowed outside the castle at all, not even to   
attend festivals. To go into the courtyard, or gardens was a task that involved ten gaurds   
swarming around her. She had begged and pleaded her father and personal gaurds to let her at   
least walk around her privet garden alone, but they wouldn't hear of it. Every time she brought it   
up, they'd change the subject. She was too old to pout, too young to cry, and too kind and soft   
spoken to order others around. In other words, she was on the verge of becoming sixteen, and   
was to act like a lady, and to obey men at all costs. She hated it....all of it. Throughout her life   
thus far, she hadn't even gotten a paper cut without the entire castle knowing, not to mention   
gossipy nobles of the Empire. The door opened, without a knock, of course. A woman who   
looked to be in her mid-twenties stepped in. Her blue-grey hair swished behind her, and her   
dark blue-green pupiless eyes were soft, yet cold at the same time. "Chibi Chi," she started, her   
stern voice echoed off the nearly bear walls. "your father and soon-to-be husband are waiting   
for you. Come, we must hurry. Your father grows older by the minute, we do not want him to be   
dead by the time we arrive."   
"No, we do not." the younger girl replied and stood. She walked over to the woman, who   
stepped aside, holding the door open for her to pass through. The girl stopped and looked at the   
woman. "Peace, is this for the best?"   
Peace's brow furrowed. "Chibi Chi, ask no more questions, you are making yourself even   
more late."   
'Who said anything about being late?' she thought and walked down the hallways towards   
the throne room, where she usually met her father. She stopped in front of the closed doors and   
waited for the gaurds to open them. They just stood there.   
A loud sigh came from Peace as she snapped her fingers. The two gaurds shook their   
heads. They had been sleeping on the job, not uncommen for this time of day. They hastily   
opened the doors and the woman led the girl into the huge room. The floors and walls were like   
all the others in the palace, white and gold marble. Banners with the Empire's seal, four tear   
drops facing in towards a small dot, hung in the spaces between all the large windows. The red   
carpet the led the way from the door to the throne was a red velvet, trimmed with gold and   
seemed to not belong on the floor, but hung on the walls. Slowly, 'Chibi Chi' went towards the   
throne dias. The Emporer sat in a huge chair, made of white velvet coushions. Gold trimmed it   
all around, with designs of wolves, the Emporer's protectors. Next to the Emporer's throne,   
was a smaller, less grand one, with doves instead of wolves trimming the chair in silver.   
Standing next to the king, a young man, no more then four years older than she was, stood tall.   
His eyes were an odd color of brown-red, the color of new rust, and his dark black hair was cut   
short. Just by looking at him, one could tell that he was not only a well respected young knight,   
but the son of the wealthy King of the Kin Kuni, or Golden Land as slaves called it. "Ah!   
Speaking of my daughter, here she is now!" exclaimed the Emporer, a well aged old man. His   
eyes were a light blue, and his once brown hair, was now silver. Though his hair and age   
deffered, there wasn't a wrinkle to be found on the fair man. He stood weakly, a healer rushed   
to help him, but the proud monarch waved him off as he stepped off the dias and stood in front   
of his daughter. "My beautiful, gentle, Cherry...you grow to look more and more like   
your mother every day."   
She cringed at the words, 'Cherry'. Her father was never taught the 'Holy Tongue',   
there for, never called her by her given name. Instead, he called her by it's meaning. She hated   
it to bits, but said nothing and faked a smile. "I kansha suru you a million times over, Emporer."   
she managed to say before he shoved her over to the young man's arms. If there was one   
thing worse then being called 'Cherry', it was being held by this man. She didn't love   
him, and didn't care for him. All he wanted most likely, was the throne to the Angeic Empire. His   
father, King Rinar, had paid a pretty gold piece for their hands to be joined. Other than the   
throne, all she could think that the young man, Landor, wanted, was her in bed. She nearly   
retched at the thought.   
"A fine Emporer and Empress they shall make, don't you agree, Peace?" he asked and   
glaced at Peace.   
Peace nodded and replied, "Yes, they will." In her mind, she thought, 'In the underworld they   
will! Landor knows nothing of ruling a kingdom, let alone an entire Empire! Looks like there'll be   
another meeting tonight...' She glanced at another woman, not any younger looking then she,   
with long brown hair, kept in a tight braid, and deep aqua eyes. On her left, upper arm, was a   
dark tattoo. It was all teal colored, with the Empire's seal and another seal combined to form   
one....a clover with a hole in the center, surrounded by four tear drops, all five figures colored   
black. Behind this woman, a small, purple haired fairy hovered. Both nodded and left the room   
silently.   
The Emporer started to cough. The healer rushed to his aid. "Sire, you should go rest." she   
told him.   
"Yes, you should." Peace stated plainly. He only nodded and allowed the healer to lead him   
out of the room. Peace looked at Chibi Chi, then turned and left the room herself, the gaurds   
shut the doors.   
No one was in the room but Chibi Chi and Landor. She shuddered inside. How could they   
leave her alone with this man?   
"Alone at last," Landor breathed. "isn't that wonderful Cherry?"   
'No it isn't! Now leave me be! Go away and never touch me again! Never speak to me!   
Never kiss me!' she wanted to scream, but instead, she said, "Yes, it is...and must I remind   
you? My name is not 'Cherry', it is Chieri, my lord..."   
He chuckled.   
She hated it when people chuckled.   
"Forgive me Princess. I'm not used to your native tongue yet."   
"You are forgivin." Not. If only she had the guts to push him away, she'd be happy. She   
could be rid of him! Unfortunatly, she had no power. She may be Royalty...but she had no   
power...she was a woman. She felt his hand move down her back towards her backside. 'Not   
happening!' she cried in her head. He placed his hand firmly there. She wouldn't allow this. No   
she wouldn't! She couldn't! But...could she say no? Maybe....a woman with no power she may   
be...but she was still a woman, and any man, no matter what status they had, had no right to   
touch a woman's privet parts, nor look at them unless they were married, and they defenatly   
were not! Before she knew it, she slapped him across the face and backed a few feet away   
from him. "How dare you!"   
He cradeled his cheek and glared at her. "Foolish woman. No one witnessed it, so no one   
can do anything about it!" He knew very well, that she hated him, but he didn't care.   
She frowned and opened her mouth to call the gaurds, but ever protective Peace burst   
through the doors and had the un-greatful, snot nosed, Prince pleading for mercy on the   
ground. By the time Landor's personal gaurds came in and gaurded him from Peace, Chieri   
found herself on her knees, hugging herself, and crying.   
Before Peace or anyone else could ask questions, the Emporer appeared in the doorway,   
extremly upset by the look on his face. The shouting probably woke him from a very peaceful   
sleep. "What is the meaning of this!?" he bellowed.   
The room fell silent, only Chieri's soft weeps could be heard. Everyone knew, that when   
Emporer Ookami was mad, to shut up and keep still.   
He looked at his daughter and looked worried as went to her as fast as he could. Kneeling   
down beside her, he asked, "My Little Cherry....what is wrong?"   
Chieri tried to control her crying, but was un-successful. She felt so embarressed about   
the whole matter. Landor was right, no one would believe her. There were no witnesses, no   
proof. This happened so many times to so many women. She had heard stories about women   
who were raped, and touched....when they told someone, they didn't believe them scince there   
was no proof. Would she end up like those poor women? Would she end up being put through   
torchure by being taken every night by Landor, against her will? She was so scared...she didn't   
know what to do, so...she shook her head.   
This only made her father even more angry. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook   
her. "Cherry! Tell me why you are crying, and tell me now!"   
A low growl came from Peace.   
Chieri sniffled a few times. She might as well tell him, no sense in making him madder.   
Sniffling once more, she spoke, "He---he---"   
"Who's 'he'?" her father asked.   
"Lan---Landor...he...he..." She started crying harder. "He touched me!"   
Ookami frowned. "Where, might I ask."   
"Where he is forbidden to!" Okay..that was a lie. But what else could she tell him? It was   
kind of forbidden...she felt horrible for lying and shook physically.   
Ookami grew furious and glared at Landor along with Peace. "Landor....I here-by banish you   
from the Empire!"   
Everyone in the room blinked a few times. He believed her! He actually believed her!! Thank   
the Gods!   
He turned to look at Chieri and did the unexpected. He hugged her.   
ñññøñññ   
  
Chieri woke from a dreamless sleep. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.   
Shouting came from the hall and she frowned as she looked out the window. It was still dark   
out. Why would people be up and shouting at this hour? Standing up, she pulled the heavy   
blanket from her bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. Quickly, she un-did her braids. If   
Peace walked in to check on her, she'd get in big trouble for wearing her hair so childishly. She   
walked over to the doors and opened one a little ways and stepped out into the hallway.   
Servents were running around like mad hens, taking medical supllies towards the east wing of   
the palace. A little girl, no older then seven came by. Chieri grabbed her arm before she could   
get past her. "Excuse me..." she started. The little girl looked suprised to not only be spoken to,   
but touched by the Princess. "but...may you please tell me what is going on?"   
The little girl looked at the floor and said nothing.   
"Please tell me."   
"I'm not aloud to talk to royalty..."   
Chieri frowned. This was such a big problem. Lesser classed people weren't to talk to her,   
her father or any other noble or royal person. "You will not get in trouble. I promise you, I wll   
make sure of it. Now please...tell me."   
There was a long pause. Then the little girl spoke quietly, "A man appeared in the courtyard..   
he looked hurt..and he's sick...the Emporer commanded everyone to help."   
"A man appeared in the courtyard? How did he get there? Did he sneak in and get sick?"   
The girl shook her head. "A guard said that he just....appeared out of no where...thin air.."   
"'Thin air'...." she whispered. "Take me to him, please?"   
She shook her head again. "I can't....I'll get in trouble if I do..."   
"Please? I will...reward you greatly!"   
"...I can't..."   
"I promise you will not get into trouble!" She wanted to see the man...to know if what her   
mother believed was true.   
"......okay...follow me..." The girl started down the hall toawrds the east wing with the   
Princess close behind.   
In a few minutes, they arrived at a guest room. Matters had calmed down quite a bit, and no   
one seemed to notice Chieri coming to the room. She quietly walked over to the bed and   
looked down at the so called man. He was an adult..no older than 18 she guessed, with dirty   
blonde hair. She couldn't tell anything else about him, since the covers of the bed were pulled   
up around his neck. He looked pale...paler then her, and she had ivory colored skin. A stray   
strand of hair laid across his face. For some reason, she stuck her hand out and went to brush   
it away, but not before a hand grabbed her wrist. She looked up to see the brown haired woman   
grinning.   
"Hey, I know he's cute and all, but not only are you a Princess....we don't know who or what   
he is, or where he came from!" She winked. "besides, what would your father think?"   
Chieri started to blush. "Shizuka! Fumeiyo! I do not think he is cute," 'Well...maybe he   
is..just a little from what I can tell so far...' "I mean...anyway...I am a Princess....I am not   
allowed to think anyone is cute like that!"   
She laughed. "Whatever, Highness! Anyway...you're not allowed to be out of your room at   
this hour, let alone being anywhere unescorted."   
"Oh! I am so gomen!!! Please do not tell Peace!"   
"I won't."   
"Doomo!"   
ñññøñññ   
  
He ached all over. He would have opened his eyes if it weren't for the damn headach that   
seemed to enjoy putting him into killing pain, just like the rest of his body. Mush...that's what he   
felt like. Mush. Slowly, he forced his eyes to open. He couldn't move to see his surroundings,   
other than a cream colored stone ceiling.   
"Oh my Gods!" a female voice cried sarcastically. "It lives!"   
"Shut up Shizuka!" a tiny, near squak said.   
"You shut up you over grown fly!"   
"Why you...!"   
"Enough!" a loud, stern voice interupted, also female. Suddenly, a face peered at him, then   
another, then a very tiny one.   
"uh.." was all he could say.   
The brown haired girl grinned. "Looks like you're not in Kansas anymore!"   
The other two women gave the brown haired one an odd look. "You've been reading too   
many of Sir Tabibito's qoute, 'travels', haven't you Ryoshi?" the tiny 'head' said.   
"Um...no...no...not at all...." she replied sarcastically.   
"Firia, Shizuka, Hush up!" the woman with icy blue hair scolded, then looked down at him.   
"Who are you?"   
He couldn't respond.   
"Answer me."   
He still couldn't respond.   
"I said---"   
"Peace, what is going on?" a soft, gentle and innocent voice asked.   
The three women turned around, to face, probably the doorway. "Chibi Chi, you're not   
supossed to be here." Peace scolded.   
"Gomen ne....but...I wanted to see if he was awake or not..."   
"It doesn't concern you if he's awake or no--"   
He interupted, "I'm awake...I think."   
The three women turned back and glared at him. The sound of soft footsteps sounded and   
lasted for a minute then stopped as a fourth face came into view. It was the face of a girl, about   
16 or 17 by the looks of it. Her hair was a firey red, and framed her face, her eyes were the color of emeralds.   
Was his vision playing tricks? Or was her skin actually that white?   
She smiled. "Hello."   
  
"Now Chibi Chi..." Peace started as she took Chieri by the shoulders and ushered her out of the room. "I don't think you should go in that room, ever."   
She frowned. "Why not?"   
Peace thought quickly. "....because...he's sick with fever, and we don't want you catching it."   
Chieri put her hands on her hips and sighed angrily. "I will not catch it, you know very well that I can not!"   
The young Princess got her there. She had never gotten sick, ever. Peace, Shizuka, and Firia all knew the real reason for that, while everyone else thought it was because of who and what her mother was. "I apologize....but you can't go in there. What would your father think?"   
She bit her lip. What would he think? She'd probably get scolded by Toparn, not her father. Qouckly, she turned around and walked back down the hall. She had to admit, she was severly frightened by Toparn. The woman was truely one of those 'black mages' she had heard of in books. They were mean, and brutal, blood thrusty, and merciless. Everything Topaz was. Why her father trusted Toparn, was way beyond her. Ever since she could remember, Toparn had punished her for every little mistake. If she took one little step wrong, Toparn would suddenly appear out of no where, just to punish her. So far, she was lucky enough to avoid the awful woman by staying in her room most of the time. A hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her backwards into the wall. Before she could make any noise at all, another hand was placed over her mouth. 'Oh no!' she thought.   
"There there, Highness..." a female voice whispered harshly. "You didn't think that you could avoid me forever, now did you?"   
She didn't reply. She couldn't.   
"Did you?!" the voice said loudly as the person slammed Chieri hard into the wall.   
She shook her head quickly, wanting to avoid any more abuse. Too bad it was unavoidable. Closing her eyes, she prepared for her usual punishment.   
~~oo~~   
  
In a few weeks, he felt much better. It didn't suit him to be sick, he thought. Most likely everyone had come to see him at least once, but he hadn't seen that girl they called, 'Chibi Sa'. 'Well, if she isn't going to come see me, I'll go see her.' he thought, determined. He wanted to know who she was. Never, not even once in his lifetime did he miss the chance to at least talk to a pretty girl. Not even Dagger was as beautiful as this girl. 'Dagger,' he thought. 'who would have thought it would end?' Probably no one. They had been happy and all...but they were too different. So, they split up. Of course they were still friends, but it wouldn't be the same. Cautiously, he got up and went to the door. Opening it slightly, he snuck out.   
In a few, what seemed to be very long, minutes, he had made it all the way past the throne room, to very big and decorative doors. 'Uh-oh...' he thought as he felt another caughing fit come his way. He coughed once....twice.....three...no....seven times.   
"I heard it! This way!" a voice said followed by the clanking of armor and heavy footsteps.   
'Dammit...' He had to think, and fast. Too bad this cold or whatever it was slowed his thinking time. The footsteps were getting closer with every passing second. Looking around, he did the only thing he could do...he opened one of the doors and slipped in the room, closing it behind him. He listened for the people to pass.   
"What are you doing?" a voice semi-giggled from behind him   
He jumped a bit and turned around. To his surprise, the girl he was looking for was sitting at a small table near a floor to ceiling window. She looked a bit amused. "uh..." he rubbed the back of his head, a little embarressed. "Nothing...I think."   
She laughed a small bit. "Looks to me like you were trying to sneak away from us."   
'Us?' he asked himself. "No, I wasn't. I was...looking for you actually." No sense in lying.   
She tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Looking for me? I do not even know you, so why do you look for me?"   
"well...that's the thing. I wanted to get to know you."   
"Okay, then come and sit down."   
He couldn't tell if she was smiling or not, since the light from the window made her seem more or less like a shadow. Slowly, he crossed the room and sat in the chair across from her. She turned and looked out the window as she placed a hand on her cheek, covering it. Oh well, so he couldn't see her face entirly, but he could see more of her then before. Her skin was as light colored as he thought. 'She mustn't go out in the sun that much then.' he thought. "So, what's your name?"   
There was a long pause as she thought. "My name is Chieri."   
"Chieri, huh? No last name or anything?"   
"I have a last name."   
"Then what is it?"   
She opened her mouth to say something when another voice interupted. "Her name is Chieri Tenshi, heir to the Angelic Empire." the voice spat her name.   
They both turned to look at a feirce looking woman with blond hair and ice cold eyes. Chieri looked scared to death, and if it were possible, she went pale. He just glared at the woman.   
"T---Topaz..." Chieri studdered.   
Toparn was in front of the poor girl within seconds. She yanked her out of her chair, knocking it over. Then Looked at him. Before he could move, he blacked out.   
~~oo~~   
  
It hurt, and she cried. No matter how much she protested, the pain kept coming. She couldn't fight it, she'd only get hurt more. Everytime, she called for help in her mind, but no one came. They left her alone to be hurt. That's what it was...no one cared.....no one. Not her father, not Peace, not Shizuka, not Firia, not Syptra or Rysoitia. Not Renia, not the gaurds, not herself. Not even her mother. She was alone. No one cared. No one loved her. If they did, then they would have come to help her...but, no one would ever come, because, no one cared. They never would. She had to fight her own battles that she could never win. She thought of darkness, and silence. She thought of fighting, and killing. Most of all.......she thought of death. Though she appeared happy, she wasn't. Behind her cheerful smile, and helpful appearence.....she was depressed and mean. Several times during the night, she'd think of killing herself....ending all the pain, and several times, she had sworn that she took a knife to her chest, and several times, she had woken up to the same torture. As if nothing happened. Something had to have happened though! She took the knife and put it in her chest herself! She had felt the pain and then felt the freedom! How could she always awake to no pain? No freedom? Once again, her thoughts turned to the knife under her mattress. Quickly, silently, she got up and lifted the heavy thing and grabbed the knife. With no words, no sound....she dug it into her chest. Though, she knew she would wake up and find herself in her bed, as if nothing happend. That was it. She was nothing. How could nothing be killed? How could nothing be hurt at all? She closed her eyes and for two seconds....she felt freedom. Freedom from everything. This...this was her few seconds of ectasy, and she loved it. She felt the pain stop, everything stopped. The chirping of crickets outside stopped. The footsteps in the hall stopped. Her mind stopped. Soon....her heart stoppped. Once again, she let herself think the word, 'Finally'.   
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Okay, that's it for now! Home you liked it...I'm sure you didn't. But oh well. Anyway....Ure Vew! Remember that! I don't mind flames or anything like that, so no worries.


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